Gospel Prism

It’s humbling to read John Owen’s The Glory of Christ. First, I couldn’t imagine having John Owen as a pastor. His wisdom and breadth of understanding the Bible is literally otherworldly. His understanding of life and death are almost incomparable. Furthermore, his view on the glory of Christ truly is incomparable. He writes:

The beholding of Christ in glory is that which in itself is too high, illustrious, and marvelous for us in our present condition. It has a splendor and glory too great for our present condition. It has a splendor and glory too great for our present spiritual faculty; as the direct, immediate sight of the sun darkens our sight, and does not relieve or strengthen it at all. (p. 47)

Second, this book shows me how low my estate is, but what I have to look forward to because of Christ and His glory. Owen is deeply practical in his approach. The Glory of Christ is not meant to be a mere theological treatise. He’s telling us that thinking of Christ will prepare us for an eternity that will help us to live today. He notes:

We shall hereby be made fit for heaven. Every man is not so who desires it, and hope for it; for some are not only unworthy of it, and excluded from it, by reason of sin, but they are unfit for it, and incapable of any advantage by it. All men, indeed, think themselves fit enough for glory (what should hinder them?) if they could attain it. (p. 49)

Third, this book is humbling because it shows me how little I actually do love the Lord. Owen asks such piercing questions to the reader as these:

Why do you love Jesus Christ? For so you profess to do. Why do you trust in him? Why do you honour him? Why do you desire to be in heaven with him? Can you give a reason of this hope that is in you, an account why you do all or any of these things? (p. 65)

Every Christian needs to ask these questions to himself/herself and the answers will signify much.

John Owen’s exposition on the mediation of Christ as a high priest in accordance with Hebrews is not only intellectually awe-inspiring but is deeply convicting. His exposition breaks down that myriad of heresies that have plagued the church (including today) that have posited that Jesus was neither fully God nor man. Of course, such fallacious reasoning nullifies the mediatory work of Christ who must be fully God and man to be the propiatory sacrifice. Owen argues: “If there be anything, therefore, in a coalescency of infinite power with infinite condescension, to constitute a sanctuary for distressed sinners, it is all in Christ Jesus. And if we see him not glorious in this, it is because there is no light of faith in us.” (p. 104)

This book is rich in the Gospel of Christ. It is worth the time to read, though it might be slow-going because of the depth of the wisdom. But like a gold mine, it takes hard work but you know there will be treasure at the end, and the treasure is that through the work of John Owen, you will be even more soul satisfied because of the glory and work of Christ, God and King.